Good jazz (begginers) book?

[anyonefortennis]

Anyone know of a good "Jazz 101" bass book to get going? I'd really like to get into it but I'm afraid I know jack about jazz theory.

Thanks!

 

[metalguy2]

Book 54 of the Play along series by Jamey Abersold
"Maiden Voyage"!
It has 14 easy to play jazz tunes!!! The book comes with a cd with Bass to panned to one side and a piano panned to the other.

So far on the disc I can play Watermelon Man on sax and bass! O yea... it comes with transeposed sheet music for all instruments!!!

 

[arbitrary]

The maiden voyage books are fantastic.
I also like the Jim Stinnett book Creating Jazz Bass Lines.
It also helps to get a real book and just practice walking.
Best of luck.

 

[Bruce Lindfield]

Anyone know of a good "Jazz 101" bass book to get going? I'd really like to get into it but I'm afraid I know jack about jazz theory.

Thanks!

Yes - I would recommend "Jazz Bass" by Ed Friedland - I've leant my copy to many bass players starting Jazz - a good general introduction!


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[tkozal]

If you already have the bassics of music theory, then get a copy of Dan Haerle's "The Jazz Language". Not a bass book, but a general jazz theory book. Everything you wanted to know about altered chords, symmetrical chords, blues scales, the tools of the language of jazz.

Aebersold carries it.

 

[daffy]

Yes - I would recommend "Jazz Bass" by Ed Friedland - I've leant my copy to many bass players starting Jazz - a good general introduction!


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I would start with Building Walking Bass Lines by Ed Friedland even before you go to this one. They are all great books but the Building... one will get you up and going faster with lines that you can use while you explore more improv.

 

[Bruce Lindfield]

I would start with Building Walking Bass Lines by Ed Friedland even before you go to this one. They are all great books but the Building... one will get you up and going faster with lines that you can use while you explore more improv.

I would disagree - so first you need to know basic stuff like Jazz forms and playing protoculs etc. etc, which are covered in "Jazz Bass" - then you have your whole life to work on perfecting walking basslines!!

 

[daffy]

I would disagree - so first you need to know basic stuff like Jazz forms and playing protoculs etc. etc, which are covered in "Jazz Bass" - then you have your whole life to work on perfecting walking basslines!!

Your tag line says it all! Inveterate dissenter - I love it!

I agree that forms and protocols are important but I picked these up by listening to jazz songs and by playing with real people with sharp and/or heavy objects in their hands. It was much later that I really studied these formally - and then found that different styles broke the rules all the time anyway and it was back to being more a feel thing between the musicians.

For someone just starting out who wants to play some of the standards they like, these things can be learned by osmosis and blunt object trauma, and reinforced by the theory. Jazz is a lot like surfing - jump in on someone's wave and see what happens to you. Doesn't take long to learn the protocol!

If you want specific practice and advice on forms, protocol etc. then Ed's second book "Expanding Walking Bass Lines" talks about that very thing as well. I have all three books and love them - I bought Building, then Jazz Bass, then Expanding in that order.

Either way - they are all terrific books and you won't go wrong with any or all of them in your book shelf.

 

[Bruce Lindfield]

I think there are better books about walking bass lines - and this is a lifetime's study...

But "Jazz Bass" is a good introduction to a complete beginner to Jazz - say, somebody coming from rock music.. ?